fear.' Bursting out into loud laughter, Partha said unto him, 'Be not afraid, O hero, what friendly follower had I while fighting with the mighty _Gandharvas_ on the occasion of the _Ghoshayatra_? Who was my ally while engaged in the terrific conflict at _Khandava_ against so many celestials and _Danavas_? Who was my ally when I fought, on behalf of the lord of the celestials against the mighty _Nivatakavachas_ and the _Paulomas_! And who was my ally, O child, while I encountered in battle innumerable kings at the _Swayamvara_ to the princess of Panchala? Trained in arms by the preceptor Drona, by Sakra, and Vaisravana, and Yama, and Varuna, and Agni, and Kripa, and Krishna of Madhu's race, and by the wielder of the _Pinaka_ (Siva), why shall I not fight with these? Drive thou my car speedily, and let thy heart's fever be dispelled.'" [50] Some texts read,--'One large meteor fell.' [51] In some editions read,--_Bharata dwijam_, and _Maha-hardam_ for _maha-drumam_. The meaning would then be,--'The banners (of the hostile army) began to tremble in the sky, and large lakes were agitated.' SECTION XLVI Vaisampayana said, "Making Uttara his charioteer, and circumambulating the _Sami_ tree, the son of Pandu set out taking all his weapons with him. And that mighty car-warrior set out with Uttara as the driver of his car, having taken down that banner with the lion's figure and deposited it at the foot of the _Sami_ tree. And he hoisted on that car his own golden banner bearing the figure of an ape with a lion's tail, which was a celestial illusion contrived by Viswakarman himself. For, as soon, indeed, as he had thought of that gift of Agni, than the latter, knowing his wish, ordered those superhuman creatures (that usually sat there) to take their place in that banner. And furnished with a beautiful flag of handsome make, with quivers attached to it, and adorned with gold, that excellent flag-staff of celestial beauty then quickly fell from the firmament on his car.[52] And beholding that banner arrived on his car, the hero circumambulated it (respectively). And then the ape-bannered Vibhatsu, the son of Kunti, called also Swetavahana, with fingers cased in leathern fences of the _Iguana_ skin, and taking up his bow and arrows set out in a northernly direction. And that grinder of foes, possessed of great strength, then forcibly blew his large conch-shell, of thundering sound, capable of making the bristles of foes to stand on their ends. And at the sound of that conch, those steeds endued with swiftness dropped down on the ground on their knees. And Uttara also, greatly affrighted, sat down on the car. And thereupon the son of Kunti took the reins himself and raising the steeds, placed them in their proper positions. And embracing Uttara, he encouraged him also, saying, 'Fear not, O foremost of princes, thou art, O chastiser of foes, a _Kshatriya_ by birth. Why, O tiger among men,